A Gravity Approach to Assess the Effects of Association Agreements on Euromediterranean Trade of Fruits and Vegetables

The paper is intended to draw on a gravity methodology to assess the impact of EuroMediterranean Association Agreement on Fruit and Vegetable trade from Mediterranean Partner Countries (MPC) to the EU. The Association Agreements appear to be significant as an explanatory of both fruit and vegetables’ trade flows to the EU. However, while the impact of such arrangements has contributed to boost MPC’s horticultural exports, it has not been sufficient to compensate the export loss related to the nature of MPCs as third countries. MPCs may have obtained gains from the EuroMed Agrements but the Barcelona process is still far to achieve its initial goals, at least concerning crucial products for the MPCs’ export strategy. The presented approach supplies a method to monitor future developments in the EuroMediterranean process.agricultural trade; Euro-Mediterranean agreements; fruit and vegetables

Modelling Euro-Mediterranean Agricultural Trade

This paper examines the methodological problems to define a modelling approach to assess the impact of full or limited bilateral liberalisation of agricultural trade flows in the Euro-Mediterranean region. The bilateral trade liberalisation process in the region is framed by complexity, in policy instruments and in the characteristics of the products, in particular fruits and vegetables. Advantages and disadvantages of the general equilibrium and partial equilibrium approaches to simulate trade policy impacts are assessed. Caveats of existing models are related to the representation of specific policy instruments (tariffs, entry prices and other non-tariff measures) and on the seasonal nature of horticultural trade, which is of major importance in the Euro-Mediterranean Free Trade Are. The paper provides an illustration of how an imperfect substitute product model could be helpful to describe the trade effects of bilateral price changes, for given seasons.

F&V Trade Model to Assess Euro-Med Agreements. An Application to the Fresh Tomato Market

The complexity derived from the bilateral trade liberalisation process in the Mediterranean region is difficult to represent in a trade model, not only because of the range of instruments still constraining trade but also because of the special nature of the most important traded goods (product differentiation and seasonality). Tariff-rate quotas (TRQ's) and the entry price system are clearly defined on a monthly basis for the fruits and vegetables trade flows towards the European Union (EU). This point makes efforts to model such a trade in yearly basis not representative of reality. We propose a static partial equilibrium model tailored to model trade impacts of specific policy instruments which considers imports from different sources as imperfect substitutes, following the non-linear Armington type model. Different policy scenarios have been run using the model, considering changes in TRQ's and Entry Price regimes, its tariffication and preference erosion. The results of model runs show that, as regards to EU producers, bilateral trade liberalisation with extension of TRQs would be the least dramatic scenario. By contrast, the phasing out of the entry price system would have serious consequences on EU producers. The model has also given detailed information on Morocco's interests in the negotiation, although it could easily include a larger number of suppliers. Morocco appears to be interested in multilateral liberalisation as well as in bilateral liberalisation. In fact, multilateral liberalisation will not cause a great deal of preference erosion against Moroccan exporters, unless tariff reductions only affect MFN suppliers.International Relations/Trade,

Analysis Of Employment And Job Profiles Of Renewable Energy: The Case Of The European Union

In recent years, the European Union (EU) is involved in a process of intense development of renewable energy.One of the basic aims is to reduce atmospheric pollution.However, this type of production technologies also entails important social-economic implications including employment creation.The objective of this paper is to analyze the creation of employment due to the development of the main clean production technologies in the EU.In addition, we will study the main characteristics of the necessary job profiles in this new industry where their main skills and educational background will be analyzed

Uloga obnovljivih izvora energije na određivanje cijene električne energije u Španjolskoj. Ekonometrički pristup maksimalne entropije

The liberalization of electricity markets in Europe aims to increase competition, thus decreasing electricity prices for the consumers, including households. Moreover, the electricity generated from renewable energies (RES-E) is physically integrated into the electricity market and can influence electricity prices. This paper presents the impact of the liberalization process in the Spanish electricity market and the impact of RES-E on household electricity prices. However, as the electricity market liberalization is relatively recent, the related data is limited, and even when trying to estimate the electricity price models through regression procedures a dimensionality problem presents itself. Therefore, in this paper a Maximum Entropy Econometric approach is used that allows for the estimation of models when information is limited. The obtained results suggest that the use of wind energy in electricity generation can contribute to the reduction of electricity prices. However, the electricity generated from hard coal increases the electricity prices. Results also reveal that energy dependence also has an important effect on electricity prices.Cilj liberalizacije tržišta električne energije u Europi je povećanje konkurencije čime bi se smanjila cijena električne energije za potrošače, uključujući i kućanstva. Štoviše, električna energija dobivena iz obnovljivih izvora energije (OIE-E) je fizički integrirana u tržište te može utjecati na cijenu. Ovaj članak prikazuje utjecaj procesa liberalizacije na španjolsko tržište električne energije i utjecaj OIE-E na cijenu električne energije u kućanstvima. Pošto je liberalizacija tržišta električne energije relativno nov pojam, relevantni podatci su ograničeni i kad se pokušavaju koristiti modeli procijene cijena električne energije regresijom, javlja se problem veličine. Zbog toga je u ovom članku primijenjen ekonometrički pristup maksimalne entropije koji dozvoljava korištenje modela procijene čak i kad su podatci ograničeni. Dobiveni rezultati ukazuju na to da bi korištenje energije vjetra moglo doprinijeti smanjenju cijene električne energije dok ju korištenje antracita povećava. Rezultati također otkrivaju da ovisnost o uvozu energije također ima značajan utjecaj na cijenu

The Reform of the CMO in Fruits and Vegetables: A Holistic Approach

The main characteristics of EU's market in fruits and vegetables are trend towards overproduction, price fluctuations, and relatively low protection and public support. The key instruments of the CMO are processing aids and support to Operational Funds. The current regulation has been more successful in encouraging improvements in quality and marketing than in stabilising prices and guaranteeing adequate income levels, mainly in fruits and in the great southern countries. The lack of common European action in the fields of import control and access to new foreign markets creates more pressure in the common market. The proposal of CMO's reform comes after the great CAP's change of 2003 -and its new paradigm- and the budget agricultural agreement until 2013. In practice, this reduces the real policy options for the new regulation. Main changes should occur in processing aids, where forces to decouple are strong; given that exports refunds are already phasing out and markets withdrawals are in decline. The main political defy is how to promote horizontal concentration through PO and to avoid the price crisis. To solve the issue of stability (or decline) of the human consumption, more can be done from the policy. The farmer's influence in political decision seems weak. The scope for radical changes in fund distribution will be possible at national level.Agricultural and Food Policy, Marketing,

Síntesis de hidrogeles de n-[3-(dimetilamino) propil] metacrilamida para retención de metales

Crosslinked polymer material containing functional groups (carboxylic acids, amines, hydroxyl and sulfonic acids) can be used as complexing agents for removing metal ions from aqueous solutions, sometimes selectively and with the possibility of their recovery, presenting advantages over other techniques for their removal. The removal of metals is a possible solution to the problem of pollution affecting water quality. Based on this important application, the preparation of new hydrogels of N-[3-(dimethylamine) propyl] methacrylamide with different concentrations of crosslinking agent to be used in the removal of Cu2+ and Pb2+ from aqueous solutions, is presented. The retention was effective and the values of retention, resulted high, especially when solutions of low initial concentrations were used. The results indicated also that the experimental data fit the Langmuir model, which postulates that the surface of the adsorbent has a fixed number of identical and defined active sites, the adsorption is of monolayer type, even on a homogeneous surface without lateral interaction between molecules of the adsorbent in which all active centers have the same enthalpy of adsorptionLos materiales poliméricos entrecruzados que contienen grupos funcionales (ácidos carboxílicos, aminas, hidroxilos y ácidos sulfónicos) pueden ser usados como agentes acomplejantes para eliminación de iones metálicos a partir de soluciones acuosas, a veces en forma selectiva y con la posibilidad de recuperación de los mismos, presentando ventajas frente a otras técnicas de eliminación de los mismos. La eliminación de metales constituye una posible solución al problema de polución que afecta la calidad del agua. En base a esta importante aplicación, en este trabajo se realizó la preparación de nuevos hidrogeles de N-[3-(dimetilamino) propil] metacrilamida con diferentes concentraciones de agente entrecruzante, para analizar el uso de los mismos en la eliminación de Cu2+ y Pb2+ a partir de soluciones acuosas. La retención resultó efectiva, habiéndose logrado valores de retención altos, especialmente cuando se usaron soluciones de concentraciones iníciales bajas. Los resultados indicaron además, que los datos experimentales ajustan al modelo de Langmuir, que postula que la superficie del adsorbente posee un número fijo de centros activos idénticos y definidos, que la adsorción es en monocapas, uniforme, sobre una superficie homogénea, sin interacción lateral entre las moléculas del adsorbente, en el que todos los centros activos tienen la misma entalpía de absorción.Fil: Garcia Manzano, Maria Florencia. Universidad Nacional de Cordoba. Facultad de Ciencias Quimicas; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Córdoba. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal (p); Argentina; ArgentinaFil: Alvarez Igarzabal, Cecilia Ines. Universidad Nacional de Cordoba. Facultad de Ciencias Quimicas; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Córdoba. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal (p); Argentina; Argentin

Cultura organizacional, motivación y la satisfacción laboral del personal de una municipalidad de Ica

La metodología corresponde al tipo de investigación cuantitativa, transversal, no experimental, descriptiva correlacional. La población estuvo constituida por el personal de la municipalidad provincial de Ica. Se realizó la técnica de muestreo no probabilístico. Para la construcción, validación y demostración la confiabilidad de los instrumentos se ha considerado la validez de contenido, mediante la técnica de opinión de expertos y su instrumento es el informe de juicio de Expertos de las variables de estudio; se utilizó la técnica de la encuesta y su instrumento el cuestionario, con preguntas tipo Escala de Likert. Para la confiabilidad de los instrumentos se usó el Alfa de Cronbach. Las encuestas posibilitaron determinar la relación que existe entre la cultura organizacional, la motivación y la satisfacción laboral del personal de una municipalidad de Ica. Se tiene que los resultados de la investigación, se realizaron mediante el análisis descriptivo de las variables de estudio y el análisis inferencial para poder conocer el nivel de correlación mediante la prueba de Rho de Spearman, respondiendo de esta manera a los problemas planteados, verificando el cumplimiento de los objetivos y rechazando la hipótesis nula Concluyéndose que existe una correlación positiva entre las variables la cultura organizacional, la motivación y la satisfacción laboral. La evidencia de estas actividades muestra que hay una relación de influencia positiva entre las variables